UN-Habitat SDG Localization

SDG Cities & Multilevel Governance Team Retreat 2026 🌍 Last week the Team convened its annual retreat, bringing together colleagues across regions and sections at a defining moment for the UN system. As the #UN80 Reform advances and UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029 takes shape, discussions focused on aligning the team’s vision, strengthening its technical offer, and advancing systemic change through #SDGLocalization and multilevel governance. As permanent co-chair of the Local2030 Coalition, UN-Habitat also reflected on its role in advancing SDG localization globally through initiatives like SDG Cities and the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs. Learn more: sdglocalization.unhabitat.org

Cities are where equality becomes reality. 🟰🏙️ From safe public spaces to housing, mobility, and representation in decision-making, the rights of women and girls are experienced — or denied — at the local level. Strengthening local governance is essential to advancing rights, justice, and opportunity for all. 📹Watch the message from @AnacludiaRossb1 Executive Director of @UNHabitat this #IWD2026. #ForAllWomenAndGirls @UN_Women

On the upcoming #IWD2026 we face a test of our collective conscience. Justice is not abstract — it is built where people live: in cities, neighbourhoods, and communities. When local governments have the tools, data, and voice to act, they can advance safer, more inclusive futures for women and girls. No justice #ForAllWomenAndGirls means no justice at all. Get involved: loom.ly/WVof8bE @UN_Women @UNHABITAT

Join the WUF Campus, where academia engages directly with policymakers and local governments — strengthening the science-policy-practice link needed to accelerate SDG action locally. 📝Apply: forms.office.com/e/PLhQgESVRJ 📅 Short lecture deadline: 15 March 📅 Urban Expo booth deadline: 31 March #HousingTheWorld #RoadtoBaku #Baku2026 @UNHABITAT

🎓 One campus. Three experiences. Welcome to the WUF Academy at #WUF13! 40+ training sessions, high-level academic roundtables, and the WUF Campus come together to create a dynamic space for exchange, collaboration, and innovation — connecting research, knowledge, and capacity building to advance adequate housing beyond the Forum.

UN-Habitat will be present at the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development #APFSD. We’re co-hosting 6 specialized side events focusing on: 🌊Sinking Cities 🏘️Water-Housing Nexus 🚴Transport Oriented Development 🔗More on our engagement: loom.ly/q3P1e7s

🚀 We’re sharing a Trello board with ready-to-use materials to help promote the Action-Oriented VLR Methodology — now available in EN | FR | ES | PT! Built from the experience of 200+ local governments, it supports turning VLRs into real action for SDG localization. 🌍🌱 📣 Access, use & share the materials: loom.ly/Fh6bWfw Developed by @UNHABITAT @uclg_org 📚 @UNECE @UNDP @UNESCAP @UNESCWA @ECA_OFFICIAL @BrookingsInst @ICLD_Sweden @lab_arco

The Third UN Directors Group Retreat of the United Nations Local2030 Coalition was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we advance together. 🌐 @Local2030 Coalition continues to show the full potential of coherent, system-wide collaboration — UN entities aligning mandates, pooling expertise and leveraging resources to deliver real impact on the ground. As discussions on UN80 reform move forward, this is a concrete example of what a more integrated and effective UN can look like: coordinated, complementary and localization-driven. 👏Sincere thanks to our host city Bilbao, @juanmariaburto and @SpainMFAfor their leadership and partnership. Proud to stand alongside colleagues from across the system — @UNHABITAT @FoodSystems @FAO @UNDP @ilo @UNFPA @UNECE @UNEP @UN_SDG @UNmigration @WHO @UNDESA @ECA_OFFICIAL @UN_Women @JointSDGFund When we localize together, we deliver together. 💪

Who helps ensure local voices shape global development? 🌎 @Forus_Int connects civil society platforms worldwide to advance participation, social justice, and #SDG action. 📖 Their report on localization & multi-stakeholder partnerships shares 15+ case studies showing SDGs driven from the ground up. Did you know that nearly 70% of countries now have formal national-local coordination mechanisms for the SDGs 🌍 📘 See more of the report's key findings: loom.ly/fM7anFc

The Third UN Directors Group Retreat convened by the @Local2030 Coalition brought together partners to strengthen collective action on SDG localization across the UN system 👏 As the permanent co-chair of the Coalition, @UNHabitat is proud to help steer this process — ensuring that localization remains central to how the UN delivers on the 2030 Agenda. 🌐 📍We continue working to operationalize the Coalition’s principles and tools, translating global commitments into practical guidance and coordinated action. We contribute to the High-Impact Initiative on Localization, by supporting implementation on the ground — advancing the SDGs through the @SDGCitiesUN Initiative and National SDG Localization Frameworks under the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs. From global coordination to local delivery, our focus remains clear: strengthening multilevel governance, empowering local and regional governments, and accelerating sustainable development where it matters most — in cities and territories. Congratulations and thanks to all the participating entities and special thanks to the hosts Mayor, @juanmariaburto and Bilbao! @FoodSystems @FAO @UNDP @ilo @UNFPA @UNECE @UNEP @UN_SDG @UNmigration @WHO @UNDESA @ECA_OFFICIAL @UN_Women @JointSDGFund @SpainMFA

Based on Learning Modules 1, 2 and 3 on localizing the SDGs, organized by @uclg_org with the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, @UNDP @UNHabitat and the Barcelona Provincial Council

Accelerating the localization of the #SDGs starts with strong local leadership. The 2026 edition of This practical course is ready — for cities & regions ready to align plans, mobilize stakeholders & drive impact. 🌍 Applications for the Moderated Online Course #SDGs are open until March 2nd 🔗 learningwith.uclg.org/p/accelerating… @UCLGLearning

📢Reminder! Join us for an online regional media briefing on #WUF13, the United Nations’ largest global conference on sustainable urbanization, taking place in Baku in May 2026. 🗓️ 12 February 2026 ⏰ 15:00–16:00 (Cairo time) 🔗loom.ly/QQbdvnM

📢 We’re hiring a Tools & Methodology Development Intern at @UNHABITAT 🔧 You could support: • Development of digital tools to support cities in strengthening their data and planning frameworks • Methodological notes, guides, and research • Support the overall day-to-day tasks of our technical hub 👉 Full details and applications on UN Careers. This and more opportunities 🔗 shorturl.at/QzKUQ 🔹Deadline: Feb 16th

🎥 This is only a glimpse at the interesting and enriching contributions shared by the participants - watch the full consultation here: loom.ly/mhESpEE

💬 Swipe through the voices shaping WUF13! ➡️drive.google.com/file/d/1FvnB-i… During the co-design consultation for the Local and Regional Governments Roundtable, participants shared insights, ideas, their priorities and experiences that will directly feed into the Roundtable’s focus, format, and outputs. From housing and resilience to SDG localization and multilevel governance, these quotes capture the on-the-ground realities and innovative solutions that LRGs are delivering amid political and climate pressures. #WUF13 #CoDesign #RoadToBaku #LocalAndRegionalGovernments @Local2030 @uclg_org @UNHABITAT @UCLG_Saiz @sebavauzelle @Addy_Kumar_ @Anna_C_intnal @M_Gaudron @CCRECEMR @ICLEI_advocacy @arieldekovic @ICLEI @alexattolico @provpzresilient @UNetxea @eva_gchueca @Mobilitat_AMB @GrassrootsJN @UCLGMEWAorg @coe @yokohama_koho @unhabitatnepal

🏙️ Cities are where the 2030 Agenda will be won or lost. 🎙️ @CamilaSaraiva99 @ufabc 🇧🇷 highlights that while over half the world lives in cities, more than 1 billion people still live in informal settlements without basic services. As noted by @AnacludiaRossb1 Executive Director of @UNHABITAT at the Expert Group Meeting on Localizing the Six SDG Transitions, How can we achieve SDGs under these conditions? 📍 Nairobi | 22–23 January 2026 @Local2030 @UNDESA @UNHABITAT @ILO @FAO @SpainMFA @UNDP @JointSDGFund @UN_DCO @ECA_OFFICIAL @OECD, @uclg_org, @UCLGAfrica @SeiNetwork @ndpcgh @MASE_IT @SerbianGov @ibgecomunica @SALGA_Gov @047County @040County @UlgaSecretariat @GAMtweets @Aaland_RBX @sheffielduni @ufabc @giz_gmbh @eLankidetza @WFFKenyaChapter @SDGsKenyaForum @AspenANDE @EmbEspKenia @urbanicemsia

Why are Local & Regional Governments essential to #WUF13? That question kicked off today’s co-design consultation for the WUF13 LRG Roundtable. A live Mentimeter captured participants’ answers — grounding the session in local realities (see visuals 👇). 128 LRG reps and partners then co-designed the Roundtable concept note: 🧩 Format, focus & outputs 🛠️ Content on housing, resilience, territorial approaches, SDG localization & multilevel governance 🎥 Full consultation: loom.ly/mhESpEE More co-design ahead on the #RoadToBaku → WUF13 | May 2026 #CoDesign #LocalAndRegionalGovernments @UNHabitat @Local2030 @uclg_org @GlobalTaskforce

🏙️ Policies may be made at global and national levels — but their impact is felt locally. James Onyango Adedi, Busia County @040County explains why policy coherence across levels of government is essential for development to reach the grassroots. This is exactly why the Expert Group Meeting on Localizing the Six SDG Transitions brought partners together in Nairobi — to focus on coherence, coordination, and delivery across all levels of governance. 📍 Nairobi | 22–23 January 2026 @Local2030 @UNDESA @UNHABITAT @ILO @FAO @SpainMFA @UNDP @JointSDGFund @UN_DCO @ECA_OFFICIAL @OECD, @uclg_org, @UCLGAfrica @SeiNetwork @ndpcgh @MASE_IT @SerbianGov @ibgecomunica @SALGA_Gov @047County @040County @UlgaSecretariat @GAMtweets @Aaland_RBX @sheffielduni @ufabc @giz_gmbh @eLankidetza @WFFKenyaChapter @SDGsKenyaForum @AspenANDE @EmbEspKenia @urbanicemsia

🎙️ Norliza Hashim, CEO, @urbanicemsia 🏙️ From food systems to digital connectivity and climate action, the six #SDGTransitions only move when policies turn into local action. That’s why this conversation mattered at the Expert Group Meeting on Localizing the Six SDG Transitions in Nairobi. @Local2030 @UNDESA @UNHABITAT @ILO @FAO @SpainMFA @UNDP @JointSDGFund @UN_DCO @ECA_OFFICIAL @OECD, @uclg_org, @UCLGAfrica @SeiNetwork @ndpcgh @MASE_IT @SerbianGov @ibgecomunica @SALGA_Gov @047County @040County @UlgaSecretariat @GAMtweets @Aaland_RBX @sheffielduni @ufabc @giz_gmbh @eLankidetza @WFFKenyaChapter @SDGsKenyaForum @AspenANDE @EmbEspKenia